Monday, January 3, 2011

Looking on the bright side...

Here is a story about how to look on the bright side.

We flew into the Gold Coast on Christmas eve, that in itself could have been problematic, but sometimes when it rains, it pours.

The night before we flew out Willow woke up and was all distressed, we couldn't figure out why. Until she did the biggest projectile vomit over her Dad. It kind of wrecked the smug organized feeling I had. The next morning she seemed a bit unwell but there was no more spew so I packed an extra change on clothes and we pressed on.

Melbourne International Airport. Christmas Eve. Friday. 3:30pm. To say it was a little busy would be an understatement.

Willow starts getting hotter and more unwell. I keep telling myself that it will all be over in a couple of hours and she will be tucked up in bed at my Mum's place while we play Santa. Bags get checked and we go to our gate to wait for our flight.

I look at the departure time on the board. Why does our flight time seem to be an hour after the original time? Ah, delayed. Perfect.

I decide that Willow is going to have some paracetamol so she can at least be comfortable. Walk to airport pharmacy and buy some. Pay crazy amount and dose sick, hot, Willow up. Kids start asking for food. Try to find something resembling food that does not cost a weeks wage in food court. Fail and buy crap.

Get back to gate. Flight delayed another half an hour. Notice flight before ours has been cancelled due to bad weather and the one before that was diverted to another airport an hour away. Mild panic starts to set in. Am feeding Willow a constant stream of homeopathics and feeling clever for having a copy of Toy Story 2 on my phone.

Get on the plane! Which is not being diverted! Tannah happily doing activities from the go-bag I made, Willow in a feverish sleep and Harper still wacthing movie on iPhone. I'm drinking a hard drink to steady my nerves. Start to relax.

Willow wakes and is busting for the toilet. I rush her in and she is so frightened of the airplane toilet that she lets her bladder go....all over my legs and feet. Get cleaned up and back to my seat. Notice the weather starting to look dodgy and the plane starting to bump around. Remember cancelled flights DUE TO BAD WEATHER. hold onto seat with white knuckles and try to look cool and reassure kids all is fine.

Commence descent. Try to strap Harper back into her seatblet on my lap. She's not so keen on this idea and makes her feelings known, to the whole plane.

Land! Safely!

Kiss parents and feel intense relief at this whole horrible trip being over....except the bags are delayed due to cancelled, diverted and rushed into the airport flights. And Willow is looking terrible and Harper is well over it. Take Tannah off to the toilet, she's still happy and insists on skipping to the loo (haha), feel my calf muscle go *twang!!* and start limping. Finally collect bags and head home.

Tuck all the kids into bed and arrange presents under the tree. Collapse into bed.

I'm so grateful!

All I could think about was how lucky we were that it wasn't our flight that was cancelled, or diverted. And I was pretty happy the plane didn't crash! We got all our bags-none were lost or broken in the mania. Willow picked up on xmas day. She was only sick for a couple of days and her worst day was the one at the airport.

These things have made it possible for us to have the best xmas! We have had such a lovely time with my family and friends. We have even managed a trip to Australia Zoo to see Bindi. I'm listening to my kids outside right now playing with my Dad in a paddling pool and thinking how blessed I really am.